NORTHBOROUGH - Therese A. (Laurence) Christian, 79, formerly of Northborough and Shrewsbury, died Monday, March 5, 2012 at her home in Cullman, Ala.  She was born in Worcester, the daughter of the late Ernest F. and Alice (Pelletier) Laurence, and was raised in Northborough.  She was a 1954 graduate of Our Lady of Grace High School in Colebrook, N.H.  She was as a creative artist in nearly every part of her life.  The joys in her life included family, boating, sunshine, dogs, and shopping.  She leaves three sons, John D. Christian, III of Orlando, Fla., Lt Col Patrick J. Christian, U.S. Army at Washingtion, DC, Maj. Laurence Christian, U.S. Army at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and six daughters, Debora C. Trask of Seattle, Wash., Alice T. Fehl of Nashville, Tenn., Laura A. Gruss and Margaret Mary Staples, both of St. Petersburg, Fla., and Jacqueline M. Harter of Belleville, Ill.; seven brothers, James Laurence of Northborough, Ernest Laurence of Cullman, Francis Laurence of Shrewsbury, Joseph, John, William and Paul Laurence, all of St. Petersburg, and four sisters, Doris Burdett of Cullman, Alice Crowley of St. Petersburg, Cecile Gadbois of Falmouth and Marie Boudreau of Pensacola; 14 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. She was the mother of the late Therese Bailey of St. Petersburg and sister of the late Robert Laurence of California and Raymond Laurence of Northborough.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Monday, March 12 at 10:30 a.m., at St. Rose of Lima Parish, 244 West Main Street, Northborough. Burial will follow in St. Mary Cemetery, Marlborough. Calling hours will be held Sunday, March 11, from 4 to 6 p.m., at the Fitzgerald & Collins Funeral Home ( www.CollinsFuneral.com ), 378 Lincoln Street, Marlborough. Memorial donations may be made to the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, ( http://bbrfoundation.org/memorial-tribute ), 60 Cutter Mill Road, Suite 404, Great Neck, N.Y. 11021. All are invited to sign Therese's online guestbook at www.CollinsFuneral.com .